I’ve heard people say they don’t like breakfast. While I resist the urge to smack their heads, I simply chalk it up as a fact that they haven’t eaten the right breakfast. There’s nothing better than a perfectly cooked pancake, I tell you.
Geoffrey Zakarian is the chef and owner of The Lambs Membership, located in NYC. I asked him to share his recipe of Greek yogurt pancakes. The guidelines that he gave are listed below.
Rule #1: Do Not Overmix the Batter
Zakarian says that it’s fine to have small lumps of wheat flour. If you over-whip your batter, it can develop gluten in the flour. This will make it strong. Gently whisk the batter with a fork or a small whisk until it has the consistency of pureed soup. A thick or sticky batter will result in dense muffins.
Rule #2: Only flip when instructed
If you are paying attention, your pancake will tell you when it needs to be flipped. Add a little oil and butter to your griddle or pancake pan and heat it up on medium. Wait until the butter starts bubbling before adding the batter. This will prevent the batter from running. Zakarian advises, “Leave it alone until you start to see holes appear.” The pinholes in the batter’s floor are a sign that it’s time to turn.
Rule #3: Don’t choose the same old toppings
Syrup is effective in complementing the nutty flavor of a delicious pancake without overpowering it. Zakarian’s recipe transforms the traditional flapjack by adding two delicious–and simple–additions. Zakarian says that the yogurt adds a pleasant tartness and lightness. The lemon zest balances out the yogurt, and the berries bring a freshness to the dish.
Greek Yogurt Pancakes
Geoffrey Zakarian is the chef and owner of The Lambs Club in New York City.
What you will want:
The batter:
All-purpose flour, 3 and 1/3 cups
Baking powder, 2 3/4 tbsp
1 3/4 tsp of salt
1 Tbsp sugar , plus 2 1/2 tsp
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean extract
3 cups milk
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to 1/2 cup of melted butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
How to make it?
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, and mix until well combined. Add the milk, and gently stir until well combined. Add the butter slowly, stirring to combine. Pre-heat a large nonstick pan, or griddle on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter, and heat until the butter bubbles. Switch a half cup of batter using a measuring cup into a pan or griddle. Flip when pinholes appear on the surface of the batter, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat until the batter is gone.
Yogurt:
Mix 500g plain Greek yogurt with 2 1/2 tsp of lemon zest and 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Put aside.
Blueberry compote
Bring 6 and 34 cups of blueberries, 1/2 lemon juice, 1 vanilla bean and 3/4 cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, while stirring. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble by spreading the yogurt over the pancakes, and topping it with the blueberry compote. Makes 16 pancakes.
Zakarian doesn’t just spend his time creating recipes. Zakarian was on the Chopped All-Stars judging panel for a new season that premiered last Sunday. What is different this year? He says that “we’ve had enough episodes under our belt to make the All-Stars better and better every year.” It’s probably one of the best seasons we have ever had. This Sunday, you can watch it again at 7 p.m. on Meals Community. You can watch the rest of the season on Sundays, at 9 pm.
